Review: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet

*Guess I should tell you that there are spoilers in this if you have never read Pride and Prejudice or seen the movie or the YouTube series. If you have seen/read one of the above it's okay to read this review. If not this is actually a really good remake of Pride and Prejudice if you want to read this story for the first time and are not a fan of classic novels.*

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet
By: Bernie Su and Kate Rorick
Publication Date: June 24th
Received from publisher for an honest review

Summary: Based on the Emmy Award–winning YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

Twenty‑four‑year‑old grad student Lizzie Bennet is saddled with student loan debt and still living at home along with her two sisters—beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. When she records her reflections on life for her thesis project and posts them on YouTube, she has no idea The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will soon take on a life of their own, turning the Bennet sisters into internet celebrities seemingly overnight.

When rich and handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck‑up friend William Darcy, things really start to get interesting for the Bennets—and for Lizzie’s viewers. But not everything happens on‑screen. Lucky for us, Lizzie has a secret diary.

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet takes readers deep inside Lizzie’s world and well beyond the confines of her camera—from the wedding where she first meets William Darcy to the local hangout of Carter’s bar, and much more. Lizzie’s private musings are filled with revealing details about the Bennet household, including her growing suspicions about her parents’ unstable financial situation, her sister’s budding relationship with Bing Lee, the perils of her unexpected fame, and her uncertainty over her future—and whom she wants to share it with.

Featuring plenty of fresh twists to delight fans and new readers alike, The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet expands on the web series phenomenon that captivated a generation and reimagines the Pride and Prejudicestory like never before.

Review: It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube. I have been following them religiously from the beginning. I was devastated when they finished the series. I really wanted to explore the modern Pride and Prejudice characters in this adaption more, and that's what The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet does. 

Going into the novel I thought it would just be the Youtube series retold in writing but it's so much more than that! Reading this you learn more about Lizzie and her sisters. There's so much going on in the background that Lizzie doesn't tell the world in her vlogs. Everything she kept out also made so much sense to keep out. It didn't feel like they were just forcing new content on the story.

Lizzie and Darcy's relationship is also fleshed more out in the novel. The reader can see things like Darcy's letter that was kept out of the YouTube series. It is also easy for the reader to see how much Darcy likes Lizzie in the beginning and how mean Lizzie is to him. I felt so bad for Darcy while reading the Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet. Yet I love them together in the end. 

It took me awhile to get through this book because I watched the videos as I read the novel. I highly recommend doing that. It was a ton of fun. It's a great way to experience the videos if you haven't seen them already. The whole experience of Lizzie Bennet Diaries is something you do not want to miss. If you're a fan of the vlogs make sure you pick up this book. You won't regret it. PLUS THERE'S THE DINNER SCENE AT THE END with Darcy and Mrs. Bennet.

One last thing. In the questions with the authors at the end of the novel, they hint at more videos coming up soon. I really hope that is something that actually happens. 

--Danielle